Marathon mismanagement

Apr 03,2017

I joined the Seoul International Marathon on March 19 and I am from Hong Kong.

I would like to lodge a complaint about the poor arrangement and unresponsive replies concerning the race.

The host refused to give me back the finisher T-shirt and ignored my emails about the issue. I learnt from my guesthouse manager that they only give the T-shirt to those who provide a Korea address on their application and prepare the shirts according to this number.

However, I completed the marathon within the time limit, so why I am not entitled to the finisher T-shirt only because I do not have a Korean address?

I finished within the five hour time limit, to be accurate in 4 hours 49 minutes and 57 seconds, and they simply refused to give me the finisher T-shirt. No note in English was given to explain that a Koran address was required.

Had it been explained in English, I would not have left the address blank.

Moreover, they do not allow me to provide a Korean address now. I found it extremely ridiculous for a so-called “gold label,” “international” marathon to have such a silly arrangement. I cannot comprehend why the finisher T-shirt was not distributed on the spot right after I finished and now I am unable to get it because I live outside Korea! How silly!

In addition, I sent them a lot of emails but they were ignored. They told the manager at my guesthouse that they have tons of emails from people, I think many are asking the same thing I am asking for.

I do not understand why they cannot arrange a T-shirt for me if I could give them a Korean address and they only said that the shirts were just for those in Korea.

Is there any discrimination? Why couldn’t they add an order for the T-shirt? I am sure I am not the only one who wanted a T-shirt. They just did not do anything and said, “No, no, no, sorry,” etc.

I requested to have their full address as I want to talk to them in person when I next visit Korea in April, but there was no reply at all. I felt totally disregarded by the host. They are not willing to help at all and actually they have done nothing. They just said sorry.

I tried my best to finish with five hours and my leg is hurt now, I paid so much money to fly to Korea to run in this marathon but then I was treated like this.

What’s the point here? It is definitely nonsense.

After this race and being treated by the host in this way, I am extremely frustrated and disappointed with Korea, a place which I loved before. I am really ashamed by what they have arranged and said to me!